Tag Archives: Kosovar

I knew we were being hosted for lunch by one of our program graduates but the Albanian/English translation was too fast for me to pick up on who we were visiting.I was overwhelmed when I realized we were pulling up to Sadije’s house.It was like visiting a movie set to me, since I had seen this house in the film that PEF did about the trip that Sadije organized for her fellow graduates around Kosovo.If you haven’t seen it, please watch it on YouTube.Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSwwaiECAzc

We also did a newsletter story on Sadije’s trip – which was monumental considering half the women on the trip had never seen beyond their village let alone traveled around Kosovo (and with a group of women no less).Some women had rarely left their homes before – something I found hard to really, really believe until I drove through the villages and saw the farmers’ markets – all men selling and buying, no women. It was one thing to see only men on the streets – and another thing entirely to see them doing the grocery shopping.This is truly a patriarchal society.

Sadije welcomed us to her home in Drenas as did her husband – who is also in the film.It’s very courageous as a man to support and encourage your wife to do untraditional things too.I was very impressed by him.He took Sadije to the farmers’ association meetings where she is now active.After talking, I suggested to Sadije and to Faruk, Women for Women International’s agribusiness specialist in Kosovo, that they do another bus tour like Sadije had done for women graduates but this time do the trip for farmers to visit one another’s farms and associations to share knowledge, seeds and create a broader network for them – and of course it would include the women farmers. And this is why I love Hamide Latifi, Country Director in Kosovo, so much.She is not only for the idea; she wants to do it by the end of May! I like the way the Kosovars make things happen.

Sadije and her daughters made the most amazing cake for us – it was huge, too large to bake in any oven I’ve seen.And we had “flia”, a flour and onion layered dish that was kind of like a lasagna of onion crepes.Tasty.But the best part for me was when they showed me the newsletter that Sadije had on the bookshelf – right next to her Women for Women International graduation certificate.It was the newsletter where we featured her story. You can see the same newsletter on our website. http://www.womenforwomen.org/outreachwinter08/Now I knew that we sent copies to the Kosovo office like we do for every newsletter – but to see that Sadije kept her copy…well, it was a good moment and I couldn’t wait to tell Teisha back in the office in DC who had worked on the newsletter story.

As we got ready to leave one of Sadije’s younger daughters – 12 or 13? – got brave enough to peek into the festivities.She blushed crimson immediately and could not be persuaded to stay no matter how much we encouraged her.Hamide explains that Sadije’s family suffered badly during the war and the children still have emotional scars that make meeting strangers more difficult.I’m reminded of what Sadije’s husband said in the film – that it was indescribable to not be able to protect your wife and children.

As we leave, I’m happy to see one of the Women for Women International greenhouses has arrived.This means Sadije has qualified for the small business package – given how healthy and happy her farm looks, I can see why.

There are reminders though as we leave. I see whitewashed areas on the house and ask Hamide what they are. As I suspected, the white paint covers up the slogans Serbian soldiers and police left behind to denigrate the family.Bullet holes are still visible as well.

But then there is the Women for Women International – Grate per Grate International (in Albanian) – sign in the window.It feels like a beacon to me – a proud one and I think it must be great for her daughters to see that, to see their mom on film and to know that there are opportunities for them too.

While visiting in Kosovo, I had the opportunity to meet with three courageous women who, after graduating from Women for Women International’s program, decided to go back and finish their secondary education. They came to Sadije’s house – Sadije is a graduate who hosts classes in her home. Tina (28), Elmiahate (26) and Afrodite (30) are from another village though, the village of Llapushnik.

There is a whole generation in Kosovo who have missed completing their education because of the war and for some because of the oppression before and during the war. After the war, the focus was on recovery of the basic needs – homes for those who lost theirs, returning to look for lost loved ones and basic needs. Now the focus is on jobs, how to generate income to get by and to improve their standing. Returning to school wasn’t something most could afford – if they didn’t go to school in the “regular years” people typically didn’t go back. When asked, they tell me they “missed school”, a term that people understand means that they couldn’t go to school because of war.

These women who I met used their Women for Women International funds to pay for transportation and school fees and even more importantly, they have been lobbying the 16 women in their village in their same situation to also go back to school – so far 14 of the 16 have returned to school.

They wanted to visit with me to tell me that we shouldn’t invest only in young girls or grandmothers who are needy but that we should invest in the women. I assured them they are our greatest asset for getting more women of their age into our program, back to school and into job training – that in doing by example and encouraging their peers, they’ve extended the impact of their sponsors’ support for them exponentially.

Their interests too are advanced – they are taking business classes in school and are less interested in handicraft training and more interested in small business training and microcredit opportunities. As I reflect on the visit with them, I think I understand why Hamide wanted me to meet with them. They are the future of Kosovo and they are the future of Women for Women International in Kosovo.

I can see these women criss-crossing the country one day soon offering consulting on business plans, making women aware of lending and funding opportunities and getting more women enrolled in the program. The last question Hamide asked the women is a poignant one.“Once you have a steady income, would you consider supporting a woman in the program yourself?” Their answer was a resounding yes – and I can see that desire to support one another already in the way other graduates like Sadije have opened up their homes for classes in the rural areas where no community center is available. I can see it in how the women I meet all day have formed small groups with one another whether for their business or for their friendship. There is a support network (dare I say movement?) growing in Kosovo of women.Women who perhaps had not considered the strength of their numbers before and the impact they could have.But they are seeing the fruits of it now and are doing everything they know how to keep it growing.